Preactor bucks slump as manufacturers invest in production planning and scheduling

More than 100 manufacturers have bought Preactor APS systems this year with net revenues showing an 11% increase over 2008, which was itself an exceptional year for the company. Recent purchasers include Imperial Tobacco, Abbott Pharmaceuticals, Alstom Transport Services Traincare, Catalent and Samsung Electronics. Says Preactor CEO Mike Novels. "We were expecting some slowdown in the demand for our software and services, but in fact the opposite has been the case. Those companies that can invest are looking to focus on specific pain points that will help them be more efficient and more competitive and Preactor has benefited from this." Novels believes that APS is being seen for what it is – a key enabler for many manufacturing companies in becoming more agile, responsive and efficient in dealing with variations in demand. "In a downturn market these companies use tools like APS to take advantage and increase their market share," he comments. And he adds that the fact that Preactor works so well with ERP, MES (manufacturing execution system) and other enterprise applications – helping to connect the back office with production – is of key importance here. "Not only does it avoid a 'rip and replace' mentality, with its associated high purchase cost and considerable disruption to the business, but in many situations it actually helps existing IT investment to deliver better performance and better return," says Novels.